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Originally Posted by Hitch
Yes, we actually do that. While we don't get a lot of co-authors, thank heavens, we do seem to get a lot of "book shepherds" or "publishing consultants" and their customers. In fact, I have a scenario right now in which we quoted and billed (and were paid by) the publishing consultant; the author and the publishing consultant have now parted ways and the author wishes to continue with us.
We'd already had an edit done on his book; the author went through and completely rewrote it and the two parted company over "editorial differences." (Oy vey, as they say). So, now, we'll deal with the author.
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A woman I know elsewhere posted a query to a mailing list I'm in that is mostly people in publishing. She wanted to know the protocol for severing a relationship with an agent.
She had written a mystery. An agent expressed interest and agreed to represent her. The agent requested a rewrite to "spice up" the book. She complied. Then the agent requested
another rewrite to turn it into a spicy romance with a mystery setting. Had the agent simply requested that in the first place, instead of it being a
second total rewrite, things would have been simpler. My contact could either say "If you can sell it in that form I'll do it.", or "No. That's not the kind of book I'm trying to write."
I told her if she and her agent couldn't even agree on what kind of book she was writing, it was time to tell her you no longer wished her to represent you, and part company. She did, and the last I knew had discovered the joys of self-publishing.
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But Book Shepherds and PC's that come to us get a discounted rate. Magically, they'll disappear, halfway through, leaving us with the "needs handholding client" at the aforementioned discounted rate. I'm still working on terms in our T&C to deal with that sort of stunt.
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It may be that your terms need to specify that your contract is with them, the packager, not the author they are shepherding. Should the author part company with them but want to continue with you, a different contract will be required and different rates will apply.
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Dennis